Monday, January 30, 2012

Small Space Studios: Savvy Style

If you need organizing and decorating tips for your studio apartment or condo, recently I was interviewed by The Washington Post's NightOutExpress.com, along with some real life studio dwellers and other small space experts.

In my new book, Small Space Organizing, Chapter 3, "One Room Wonder:  How to Live Happily and Practically in Just One Room" gives many tips and resources.

Here are some additional resource links for savvy studio living:

HGTV Studio Apartment Makeovers
House Beautiful

Happy savvy studio living, with STYLE!

Kathryn :)

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Organizing Book Giveaway


Would you like your home to be beautifully organized?  It can be!  My blog tour for my new book, Small Space Organizing, has been going on this past week in honor of National Get Organized Month, and my HUGE THANKS to all the bloggers and others--from homeschooling moms, to military wives, to veteran interior designers, to professional organizers,--who read my book and wrote happy reader reviews or sent me kind kudos telling how they found my book helpful in taking action to creatively conquer their clutter! 

Even Bentley, the cutest dog in the world, who lives in this sweet and beautiful art-filled cottage-style home, owned (and organized!) by artist Erin Houghton, says he used my book to organize his toys!  :)  Erin had so many blog commenters who needed organizing help that I mailed three of her blog readers free signed copies of my book today--they went to Alaska, Alabama, and France.  :)

You can see photos of other organizing strategies bloggers used from my book to organize their lovely homes here.

And there's a book giveaway going on here and here, so be sure to get your free copy of my new book, Small Space Organizing!

If you've personally used the tips, ideas, and resources from my book, Small Space Organizing, to organize your own home, and have posted the photos on your blog showing what you did, feel free to CONTACT ME with your blog post link, and I'll add you to my Beautifully Organized Award blog page.

May you always create beauty and order at home, whatever the size of your space!

Kathryn :)

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Book Review Blog Tour This Week for My New Book: Small Space Organizing

(Book cover design by Baker Publishing Group)

THANK YOU to the 73 bloggers who signed up for my publisher's blog tour this week to review my new book, Small Space Organizing.  I look forward to hearing what you have to say about my book!  I've received several wonderful reviews already from bloggers (and Amazon customers) and I will be posting more reviews as they come in.

Happy Organizing!

Kathryn :)

Friday, January 13, 2012

Fridge Organizing Tips for You & Moody Radio

Do you ever struggle with fridge clutter?!  As organized as I am in many areas of my life, I  used to find it hard to keep my fridge organized and felt like I never had enough room for everything.  One day it was like a light bulb suddenly went off  in my head and I  realized that if I could create "drawers" that pull out, it would be a lot easier to separate food items, put groceries away, and cook!  I shared my fridge organizing system today with Dave & Deb of Moody Radio on their Daybreak show because Deb asked me for my best kitchen organizing tips.

Here they are...

I bought these white baskets with air holes at Target.  They have both small and medium sizes and the ones in my fridge here are the medium size.  You can also buy similar baskets at Container Store.  That tan bin you see is actually a plastic dishpan, so you could use those too if they fit in your fridge.  I like the baskets from Target because they're heavy, have air holes which keeps produce fresher, and the cold has not cracked them. 

My hubby and I have a home cooking system down that suits us both:  I make the grocery list, cook the meals, set a pretty romantic-style table with placemats, cloth napkins, and a candle, and I clean up  after meals and oversee keeping the kitchen clean and organized.  He shops for groceries, (he's a Costco king!), washes and cuts up produce and puts it in plastic containers, and puts the dry dishes away.   When we entertain, we work together as a team. We're both happy with our system because he doesn't like to cook that much and I don't like to go to the grocery store.  (But go figure, we both like to eat.)  :)  Oh, and I also shop for groceries online at Vitacost, which I LOVE because they have organic food at FAB prices with free shipping on orders over $50.  When the order arrives, we both unpack it.

Please create a kitchen and food prep system that works for your marriage and family so that everyone is happy and stick with it.  And please don't get caught up in comparisons with the Jones' seemingly gourmet meals from their pristine kitchen, because for all you know, they're hiring an expensive personal chef or their mother-in-law comes over to cook and clean while they both work all day.  Okay, probably not, but you get my drift about "thou shalt not covet your neighbor's gourmet kitchen."  :)
See how my "drawer" pulls out?  Actually, it's really even better than a drawer, because I can put the plastic bin/basket on the kitchen counter easily so I can see what I need for food prep.  Easy peasy!

I even use the baskets in my fridge's freezer, just the same way.  I only keep in them the ingredients I need to create my meals because...
We just bought a small freezer at Sears which is perfect for small space living, so...

When I cook now, I make a double batch and then divide portions into plastic containers which I stack in the baskets.  This avoids processed food; I make almost everything from scratch. With my double-batch freezer method, my hubby also then has a healthy entree to take to work for lunch every day, and on the days I'm busy with tight writing deadlines or media interviews, I have a healthy entree on hand as well.

My other best kitchen organizing tip  I shared with Dave and Deb for their Moody Radio show listeners is to use all-white dishes and glassware.  It saves kitchen cupboard space because everything matches, rather than having several different sets of colored dishes.   If you break a piece it's no biggie as you can easily replace just that piece, and mix and match different styles and designs of white dishes for an interesting look. Use colorful placemats and napkins and fresh flowers to add color to your table so you'll be dining in style both every day, and when you entertain guests.

You can find more kitchen organizing tips in Chapter 7 of my newly released book, Small Space Organizing.   (See 5-star Amazon reviews.)

Okay, so now you're gonna go organize your own fridge, freezer, and kitchen, since it's National Get Organized Month, aren't you?!

Aren't you??!

I just knew you would.  :)

Kathryn

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Martha Stewart's Beautiful Home Office Supplies


Thanks to FAB! & FUN!  Martha Stewart Radio Morning Living hosts Betsy Karetnick and Brian Kelsey this morning for having me as a guest on their show to talk about tips and tricks for organizing home offices and hobby rooms as I discuss in my new book, Small Space Organizing.

If you've read my book, you know what a big lover I am of three-ring binder notebooks for organizing projects.  And Martha Stewart, with Avery, has some beautiful and practical binders and accessories that can be customized to suit your particular project.    And for your tax files, take a look at Martha's wonderful poly files.  I love them because unlike paper files, they'll hold up nicely for years of storing your tax returns. I also love Martha's vertical file folders that you store in magazine file holders.  Brilliant!

I gave Brian and Betsy some practical home office tips so here are some photos of my own home offices over the years to show you what I suggested:
If you don't have a whole room for a home office, create one in the corner of another room.
Office armoires hide papers and office equipment behind the doors and save space.  My husband does all of his
home office paperwork from this armoire.
Personalize your work area with things you love.  Make it oh-so-YOU, whatever your taste is.
It's okay to have your pets and kids "work" with you.  :)  If so, go with the uh, work...flow!
Utilize vertical space.  Place two tall bookcases on either side of your desk and use photo boxes, binders, and magazine holders for storing office supplies and craft projects within  easy reach.  Also, use clear plastic lidded bins to hold file folders--they're portable and stackable.  Here, my plastic bins have been dropped into wicker baskets for added aesthetics.
Thanks again, Betsy and Brian for the fun radio interview about home office and hobby room organizing; I hope my tips were helpful!

And as far as getting your own home office organized now, my blog readers, go for it, because...

As Martha would say...


"It's a good thing!" 

Kathryn